Alagaesia to Scotland
by BeebaS
Summary: Eragon falls asleep in Carvahall, and wakes up in Scotland, where he meets a girl who offers to help him.  What is going on, and will he get back to Alagaesia?
1. Chapter 1  Waking Up In Scotland

Eragon's POV

I sat with Saphira and talked to her for a while after dinner. I told her about how Roran was going to go to Therinsford to get a job, and that I thought it was completely unnecessary, seeing as we had live quite well considering how poor we were.

By the time I had finished talking about Roran, it was dark. I still had a lot more to say about other things, but it was getting late and I had to get home. Saphira knew, and didn't stop me.

The moment I got to my room, I collapsed on my bed and fell asleep instantly...

I awoke the next morning, completely refreshed. I stretched, and realised that I wasn't in my bed anymore. I sat up and looked around.

"What on earth...?" I said, confused. I was in the middle of the woods, wherever I was. I stood up cautiously, and looked around again. This didn't look like the woods near the farm. I was completely and utterly lost.

I made my way through the trees, and came to path. OK, so maybe not completely lost. At least there was a way out of here. I walked along the path, and a minute or so later I came to an opening onto a road. There were strange objects on the road, and I squinted at them. They had people inside them. Suddenly, they all started moving, making a strange, roaring sound, although a lot quieter than a dragon roar. Dragons made them seem like quiet mice.

I walked along the path, and started wandering around the town, which I didn't recognise at all. I definitely wasn't in Palancar Valley anymore.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Rebecca's POV

I left school that day, glad that I was finally able to go home. Up ahead, I heard a boy walking up to people asking where this was.

I looked along the road, watching him. He was garbed in very old fashioned clothing, and he did look very lost. I wondered if he had been on the way to a fancy dress party, perhaps on the train, and had got off at the wrong station.

He then came to me. Nobody had bothered to answer him.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said, "could you tell me where I am, please?"

"Of course, sir," I said, giggling at the posh speaking, "This is Kirkcaldy."

"Kirkcaldy? Where is Kirkcaldy?" he asked, looking more confused than before.

"You know. Kirkcaldy, in Fife, in Scotland," I said, as if it was obvious.

"Where is Scotland?" he asked.

You don't know where Scotland is?" I said in disbelief. "Where are you from then?"

"I'm from Carvahall, in Palancar Valley, in Alagaesia," he answered.

What on earth...? Sorry, _where_ on earth...

"Erm...Care to tell me more?" I said. I waited, and when he didn't answer, I asked, "What's your name, then?"

"I'm Eragon. You?"

"Ooh, fancy name. I'm Rebecca." I said. Samantha, Nicole, Jayne, Kieran, Jordan R, Natalie, and Jordan H (also known as Monkey) came over. I introduced everyone.

"Boyfriend, Bex?" Nicole whispered.

"No!" I answered quickly, "We just met." She smiled.

"Eragon?" I said, "If you don't know where this is, how did you get here?"

"I don't know," he said worriedly, "I fell asleep in my bed in Carvahall, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the woods back there." He pointed to the woods, which we called the Den. He looked really confused, and a little scared.

"Don't worry," I told him, "We'll figure this out."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

EPOV

Rebecca and her friends escorted me to her house. It was luxurious compared to my home in Carvahall.

They all seemed very kind, especially Rebecca. She asked me to tell her more about myself, so I did so while her friends went out to the shops to get something. I told her about Palancar Valley, my cousin Roran, my uncle Garrow, and the other inhabitants of Carvahall - Horst, Sloan, Morn, etc.

She then told me about herself. She was 15 years old, the same age as me. She liked art, and she showed me some of her work. We continued talking about ourselves until her friends returned.

Here you go, Eragon," two of the girls said, handing me clothes. One was blonde, the other brunette like Rebecca. I think their names were Samantha and Nicole.

You'll need to look like what _we_ call normal," the blonde said. I can't remember which is which. They also showed me the rest of my new clothes, and a big bag called a suitcase.

Her family soon came home and her friends left. She introduced me to them - her mother, her stepfather, her older brother John, and her younger brother David. They also had two cats, Misty and Minnie.

Rebecca told her mother that I was an exchange student (whatever that was) from a school in England (?), and that Rebecca's school was wondering if I could stay here.

Her mother said of course, but that I would unfortunately have to sleep on the couch. I said that this no problem.

For the rest of the night, until bedtime, Rebecca and I talked, and at what her mother said was 10 o'clock we went to bed. Or in my case, to the couch. I fell sound asleep the moment my head hit the cushion.


	2. Chapter 2 Back to Carvahall

EPOV

I woke up the next morning to find I was back in my own bed.

_Hmm, perhaps it was just a dream..._ I thought. I looked around my room. Everything was exactly as I had left it. _Yes, it was just a dream. _I contacted Saphira with my mind, and I told her about what had happened in my dream. She advised me not to worry about it, that it probably meant nothing.

_I hope you're right..._

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

RPOV

I woke up shivering in the snow, next to a huge forest. I looked around, wondering what on earth was going on. I saw a farmhouse nearby, and I stumbled over to it and knocked on the door.

An elderly-ish man answered the door. "Yes?" he asked.

"Hi, sorry to intrude, but I'm a bit lost. Could you tell me where I am, please?"

"You're in Carvahall in Palancar Valley. Do you know where you are now?"

I gasped. "What's your name?" I whispered.

"I am Garrow," he said, "You still look lost, would you like to come in?"

"Oh, thank you," I said. I was still trying to recover from the shock that I was now in Carvahall, having thought that meeting Eragon had just been a dream, but now I was meeting his uncle.

_Who he lives with._

When I sat down at the table, I thanked Garrow again and asked, "So where is Eragon?"

"How do you know my nephew?" he said suspiciously.

"Oh, I met him a few days ago. He was really kind," I added, because it was true.

"Well he's just getting up. I'll go call him down for you." And he did just that.

Eragon jumped down the stairs, two at a time, and asked, "What is it, Uncle?" Garrow simply gestured towards me. Another young man, who I assumed was Roran, came down the stairs right behind Eragon and looked right at me.

"Rebecca?" Eragon asked in a shocked voice.

"Yeah, it's me," I said.

"But...how?" He said, "How are you here? How is this possible?"

"I don't know," I said quietly, "I don't know how I got here, I don't know how you got to Kirkcaldy, none of this should be possible. I mean, how can someone be...teleported somewhere in the blink of an eye, without that person knowing?" I was close to tears by the time I was finished speaking.

Eragon seemed to realise that I was about to cry, because he comforted me. "It's going to be OK, don't worry. We'll figure this out. In the meantime-"

"In the meantime, do you know how to read and write?" I finished for him.

"Err...no," he answered.

"You'll have to be taught that then. I hope you're a fast learner, 'cause you may need to learn this all in a day,"

"...Why?" he asked.

"I told my mum you're an exchange student at my school, remember? So, I can't leave you at home all day, because my mum will see you. And, you can't just wander around the streets of Kirkcaldy. 1. I won't let you, you'll end up getting lost, and 2. my mum will _still_ end up finding you. My older sister, Tracey, stayed off school without telling anyone ( that's called skiving, by the way) and mum caught her in the act. She was grounded for like a month! So the only option is to take you to school with me, and you have to look like you know what we're doing."

"This is too much," Eragon moaned.

"Tough," I said. Then I started teaching him how to read and write. Luckily, he _was_ a fast learner like I'd hoped, and he picked up on it really quickly. It only took half a day to teach him the basics that he needed to know.

Now, I know it was a long shot, but I was thinking about telling the school that he was my cousin, and that his parents had died. He was coming to stay with me and my family for a while, until they could find him a proper home which could take a few days, or a few years. So my family had been wondering if he could enrol at the high school until he was found a home.

Like I said, I know it was a long shot, but there was nothing else I could think of. I told Eragon my idea, and he agreed to go along with it.

After I had finished teaching him everything I could, he pulled me aside and told me he had a secret to tell me. Before he told me though, he made me swear I wouldn't tell _anyone_. I agreed.

He then dragged me outside towards the woods. We went deep inside, and then Eragon stopped.

"Brace yourself," he said, "I'm about to introduce you to Saphira, my best friend," then he pulled me a little further into the woods.

"See there?" he said, pointing in front of us. I could see something blue and shiny. Then, it moved. I looked up, and looking down at me was..._a dragon._ It was unmistakeable.

"Is...is this Saphira?" I asked.

_Yes_, a voice answered in my head. I flinched at the contact._ Just think your questions and I will hear them, small one._

_Are you a dragon?_ I asked, even though I knew what the answer would be.

_Yes._ Her voice echoed in my mind. I looked at Eragon.

_How...how is this possible?_ I asked him. I couldn't believe I was talking with telepathy.

_Well, dragons lived many years ago. Some of them got Riders, and they became very close to their Riders. The Riders and dragons were wiped out many years ago, before I was born. Then, I found a stone in the mountains, and I took it home. I soon realised it was an egg, though, when it hatched a few days later. And so, Saphira was born. We soon discovered how to talk to each other with our minds._

The three of us talked to each other with our minds for hours, and soon the sun was setting and it was time to go home. We had dinner, talked for a bit, then went to sleep.

**So, what will happen? Will Rebecca get back home, or will she and Eragon stay in Carvahall? What is going on?**

**Note: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle (sigh). I am not Christopher Paolini. I have never even _met_ Christopher. LOL. (Wish I had though) :(**


	3. Chapter 3 In KHS

EPOV

_Where was I? Kirkcaldy or Carvahall?_

I opened my eyes to a big, fluffy face. _Kirkcaldy._ It was Rebecca's cat, Misty. As soon as she realised I was awake, the kitten jumped off the couch and ran out of the living room. At the same time, Rebecca came into the living room.

"Hey, Eragon," she whispered, "Mum's still asleep. Good thing, too, I need to write a letter to the school so they know you're coming." I nodded. She began writing the letter:

_Dear Headmaster,_

_ I am sorry it's such short notice, but my nephew Eragon's parents recently died in a car crash and he came to be in my care, just until he can be found a new home. I was wondering if he could attend the high school for that time, so he still gets an education while he is waiting. Thank you._

_ Yours sincerely,_

_ Loretta Smith_

I was impressed by the standard of the handwriting; it look as though an adult had written it. Which was good, since we had to fool the teachers at the school.

A few minutes later, Rebecca's mum (who insisted that I call her Loretta) came down the stairs and into the living room.

"Up already, kids?" she said with a smile. "Rebecca's never up this early," she laughed. Rebecca scowled, and I chuckled at the look on her face.

We had breakfast, got changed, and then we left for school.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

RPOV

I couldn't believe it. It was 9:30, halfway through first period – Techy (or Tech Studies). Eragon was sitting next to me, and we were communicating telepathically. It was really fun to have a conversation without the teacher knowing a thing.

_I can't believe the headteacher gave in without a fuss,_ I thought.

_Ha-ha, yes. I can't believe it either,_ was the reply from Eragon. We both laughed quietly. Suddenly, the teacher got up to walk around the classroom, to check how we were doing. We quickly stopped laughing and carried on with our work.

The day was really fun. Eragon sat in front of me and Nicole in History, next to me and Kirstin in SE, next to me and Matthew in English, behind me in Chemistry, and beside me and Samantha in Maths. Everyone thought we were dating, until we told them that Eragon was my 'cousin', then they apologised and left us alone.

The day went smoothly apart from all the 'Are you two dating?' questions. We went to the library at lunchtime and ate our lunch there. This was where I normally ate lunch, so none of this was new to me. _All_ of it was new to Eragon. He had never been anywhere near a school, never mind _in_ one. He seemed to be having fun learning, though.

While we ate lunch, my friend Paige came over and looked between myself and Eragon, then said, "So are you two, like, going out? 'Cause if you are, good for you Bex! You got a date!"

We sighed, and I said to Paige, "No, we're not dating. Eragon's my cousin, that would just be wrong."

"Oh, oops," Paige said. She seemed quite embarrassed, so I said, "It's no problem, people have been asking us that all day. It's just because Eragon sits beside me in classes, and follows me wherever I go. And that's because he's new here, so he doesn't know his way around, and he doesn't know anyone here."

"Yeah," Paige replied, looking a lot less embarrassed since I had told her that lots of people had asked the same question. "Anyway, see ya, Bex!" As she walked away, I chuckled.

Eragon and I started on our homework, which was due for the next day. It was Maths, and apparently Eragon wasn't very good at Maths, so I had to tutor him.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

EPOV

We went home at the end of the day, walking with Rebecca's friend, Amber. Amber was funny, she kept telling us these stories that had actually happened to her.

We got home, and Loretta was already in, as were David, John and Ramsay, Rebecca's stepfather. We clapped the cats, and then we went and sat down and did more homework. We eventually got it all finished (thankfully, since it was due for the next day).

We then had dinner, which was chicken wings and chips. I asked Rebecca if they were going to be _real_ chicken wings, and she replied matter-of-factly, _Yes, but there aren't any feathers on them, of course. And they're quite small, so we get quite a few of them each._

When we got our dinner, I tried the chicken wings and they were delicious, as were the chips. I was surprised at the taste of the chicken wings, though. They did taste like chicken, but there was another taste too that I couldn't put my finger on. I asked Rebecca with my mind, and she answered, _It's barbeque you can taste. I think it's sauce on the chicken, but I'm not actually sure._

We flew through dinner, chatting away about school, and what we were doing tomorrow, which was, in this order – Art, PE, Tech Studies, English, Latin, and Computing. I was quite interested about the new subjects, the ones I hadn't taken yet. Rebecca told me not to get to excited about PE, because it 'sucks'. She said PE stands for pointless exercise, and I had to laugh at that.

Later she surprised me when she said I could call her 'Beeba', which was what some of her friends called her. When I pointed this out, she simply said, "But you _are_ my friend, Eragon, you can call me that too." So that's what I started calling her: Beeba.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

RPOV

I went upstairs that night and got ready for bed, wondering if we would still be here tomorrow, or if we would be back in Carvahall. From the pattern, it seemed we would be in Carvahall, but who can really tell? There may have been no pattern at all. I sighed, and turned off my bedroom light, exhausted from a day at school.

**So, what do you think? Please R+R.**

**Once again, I would like to point out that I am not Christopher Paolini, I do not own the Inheritance Cycle (well, I do have the books, and they are mine, but you know what I mean), and I _still_ haven't met CP. Sigh.**


	4. Chapter 4 Danger In Carvahall

**To recap – Eragon woke up in a place called Kirkcaldy, in Scotland, and had no idea how he got there. He soon befriended Rebecca, or 'Beeba' as she prefers to be called, and she lets him stay at her house. The next morning they woke up in Carvahall, in Alagaesia, and Eragon introduced Beeba to his family, and his best friend Saphira – a dragon. The next morning they found themselves back in Kirkcaldy, and Beeba let him come to her school, so he could learn. They fell asleep that night, wondering where they were going to wake up. Kirkcaldy or Carvahall?**

**EPOV**

I opened my eyes the next morning, and smiled when I found we were back in Carvahall. I got up, and went downstairs to find Beeba. She was already standing in the kitchen, chatting away to Roran and Garrow. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. I thought this was going to be a good day.

I turned out to be very wrong indeed.

Beeba and I walked Roran into town, where he told us that he was leaving for Therinsford, and that Garrow already knew, so we didn't have to tell him. Beeba seemed shocked by the news, and I realised I had told her about Roran, but not the fact that he was leaving.

He left and we sadly watched him go. Beeba was sad too, because she had become friends with Roran. I sighed when he disappeared over the hill, and I turned to Beeba.

"So," I said, "want more information about dragons?" She nodded, and I said, "Follow me, then."

I led her to Brom's house. Brom was the town's storyteller, and he would probably tell us more about dragons. Before we went in, though, we were stopped by Horst.

"Eragon," Horst said, "you know that stone you had? Do you still have it?"

"Yes," I replied, "why?"

"Get rid of it. This is me talking to you as a friend, Eragon. Get rid of that stone immediately. There are strangers going around asking about a stone exactly like yours. Luckily, everyone so far has had the sense not to tell them anything, but it's only a matter of time before someone lets something slip."

I nodded and replied, "I'll do it the moment I get home."

"Good. Who's your friend?" he asked.

"This is Beeba." I told him. "Beeba, this is Horst."

"Oh, this is Horst!" Beeba replied, and held out her hand. They shook hands and smiled at each other. Elain, Horst's wife, and their sons Albriech and Baldor came over.

"Pleasure to meet you, Beeba," Horst said, "How did you pair meet?"

We looked at each other, and I said, "We simply met in town a few days ago. Beeba is visiting, and I went over and talked to her, and we became friends." Technically, some of that was true. We had met in _a_ town, not necessarily Carvahall, and I had talked to her and we had become friends.

I told the family that we had to go, and we left. We went to Brom's door, and I knocked. Suddenly, Brom's voice came from behind us.

"What do you two want?"

We spun around. The old man was standing there, watching us curiously as though expecting something strange to happen.

"We wanted to ask you about the dragons. When do they breathe fire? When -"

"Enough! We'll talk inside!" Brom said. Then he sighed, "You and your questions... Of course you want to know more."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**BPOV**

We both followed the old man inside. It was a cosy little house, and the first thing I noticed was that there was books strewn over a table in the middle of the room.

Eragon and I sat down when Brom told us to. He had two other chairs besides his own, so there were enough chairs to go around.

"So," he said, "what do you want to know?"

"Everything." Eragon said. "Everything about them and their Riders."

"Well, if I told you everything, we would be here all day. I'll try to summarise it a little." He paused, and took a puff from his pipe that he had in his hand. He thought for a minute, then said, "All dragons used to be wild. There was a battle between the dragons and the elves -"

"Elves?" Eragon interrupted. "They're real? Why are they called the Fair Folk? Why -"

"Do you want your original question answered? If I tell you every single detail, we'll be here for days!"

"Sorry," Eragon said, "please, continue."

Brom chuckled, "You like asking questions, don't you? Well, one of the elves made a pact with the dragons. His name," he said, "was Eragon." Eragon and I blinked, and I looked at Eragon. "What? You didn't know your namesake?" Eragon shook his head. Brom laughed again. "Well, you know what they say. You learn something new everyday."

"Hmm," Eragon said.

"Well," Brom continued, "as I said, Eragon made a pact with the dragons, after he found a dragon whom he named Bid'Daum, and who became his dragon. After that friendship, the dragons agreed to give some of their eggs to the elves, so that more Riders could be created. Soon, when humans came to Alagaesia, they were involved in the pact too."

"What do you mean, 'when humans came to Alagaesia'? We've always live here!" Eragon said, looking confused.

"No we've not. Humans migrated to Alagaesia long after the elves arrived. Nobody here in Carvahall was born here. It's not even true for you, Eragon. Your sire wasn't from Carvahall." Brom said gently. Eragon was tense beside me, and I knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. 'How do you know anything about my father? I don't even know who he was!' It was true, Eragon had told me that he had never even met his father.

"Anyway," I said, trying to break the tension, "err, about the dragons..."

"Yes," said Brom, "so, the dragons and their Riders lived peacefully for hundreds of years, until a young Rider named Galbatorix lost his dragon in a battle. He asked for another dragon, but he was refused one. So, he stole a young dragon, who he named Shruikan, and forced the dragon to work for him.

"They and their followers, named the Forsworn, went into battle against the good Riders, and killed most of them. All of the Forsworn, except Galbatorix and Shruikan, were killed in battle. But Galbatorix survived and killed the rest of the Riders and their dragons, and he took over Alagaesia. As you probably realised when I mentioned his name, he is the same Galbatorix who rules over us now."

"So, how big did they get?" I asked Brom. Saphira was already quite big, about 6 feet tall, and I had no idea how long she was. I could tell Eragon was wondering the same thing.

"Well, they small ones were about the size of a house, and some of the ancient ones could be mistaken for hills, or even small mountains."

We gaped at him. As big as a hill! Well, eventually, but still.

"When did they breathe fire?" Eragon asked.

"At around 6 months," Brom replied.

"And I was told that Riders could hear what their dragons were thinking, and vice versa. Is it true?"

"No," Brom said suspiciously, "I've read all of the stories, and that has never been mentioned. Where did you hear that?"

"Err," Eragon said, "I heard it from a trader the other day."

"What was his name? Do you remember?"

"No, I don't remember."

"Oh well, if you do remember, tell me," Brom said. Eragon nodded. "So,is that all? Do you have more questions?"

"Just one more," Eragon said, "I've been trying to remember the name of a dragon that I heard a trader mention, but I can't. Could you help me out?"

Brom went through a list of dragon's names, including Bid'Daum. At the end of the list, his voice grew quieter, and he said, "...and Saphira." Eragon and I glanced at each other. "So, is that all, then?"

"For now," Eragon said with a smile. Brom smiled too, as did I.

"Very well," Brom said. He opened the door and we left, thanking him for his services.

We started walking home, but we paused when we came to Sloan's shop, we slowed. We heard voices from inside the shop.

"Tell usss who hasss the ssstone, and we will ssspare you," a voice said. It made me shudder beside Eragon.

"I told you," came another voice, which I assumed belonged to Sloan, "the boy, Eragon, he had it! He lives on a farm, the second one in the valley!"

I gasped quietly. _He's telling them._ Eragon looked just as horrified as I was.

_Come on,_ he said with his mind,_ we have to warn my uncle!_

I nodded, and we set off at a run. We were panting by the time we arrived at the farm. Eragon called Saphira with his mind, and she came immediately. He told her what we had just heard, and she went ballistic before he had even finished. She started screaming things like _Traitors! Murderers!_ and Eragon climbed on her back and had to yell at her to be quiet, as everyone in Carvahall would hear her.

She eventually calmed down, but when she did, she grabbed me by the back of my t-shirt and quickly put me on her back.

"What -" I began, but I had to quickly grab onto Eragon as Saphira suddenly took off. I squealed. I really don't like heights, and we were already about 50 feet in the air. 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. I definitely didn't like this.

Eragon yelled with his mouth _and_ his mind at Saphira to turn around and get Garrow, or at least warn him to get out, warn him about what was going to happen to him if he stayed on the farm. Saphira simply answered that it was too dangerous to go back, and then she was silent the rest of the time, blocking out the fact that Eragon was screaming in her ear. I was silent too, but that was because I was _frozen with fear_.

We landed in the mountain range called the Spine. Eragon and I had a hard time walking at all, seeing as we'd had to hold onto Saphira tightly with our legs to keep from falling off. Her scales had ripped into our skin and it was now painful to even move our legs. We knew there was no way we would get back to Carvahall in this state, so we reluctantly decided to sleep, even though we knew Garrow could be in a lot of trouble right now. We tried not to think about it, and we hoped he would be OK.

**So, Saphira has went crazy and taken Eragon and Beeba into the mountains, for safety. Will Garrow be OK? Or will he be severely injured, or maybe worse? Will Eragon and Beeba be back in Kirkcaldy tomorrow, or still in Carvahall?**

**Again, I DO NOT own the Cycle.**


	5. Chapter 5 After The Strangers

**RECAP – So Saphira went completely berserk when she found out about the 'strangers' in town looking for the egg she came from. Sloan, the town butcher, told them that Eragon had the egg, and they set out to look for it. Meanwhile, Eragon, Saphira and Beeba are in the Spine mountain range, hiding out. Eragon and Beeba are injured and are extremely worried about Garrow, who is still at the farm.**

**BPOV**

I woke up to see the mountains around me. _Wait a minute._ Mountains? Shouldn't I be in my bed? No, I was definitely in the mountains. I looked around, and saw Saphira lying next to me, and Eragon too.

"Huh?" I said, "Why are we still in Carvahall?" Eragon looked around, and I saw the confusion on his face. He saw that I was right.

"Why are we here?" he said. "Why aren't we in Kirkcaldy?"

"I don't know," I said. I sat up, and groaned in pain. My legs were still in excruciating pain from the flight. Eragon looked at me, an expression of worry on his face. He moved, and his face contorted in pain and he let out a small gasp. I knew exactly how he felt.

We managed to convince Saphira to take us back, eventually. Well, Eragon did. He started talking about her being a coward and that they would be known as the Rider and his 'craven dragon'. She was angered, but agreed to take us back. _Into foolishness we fly,_ she said. We climbed on her back, and tried to ignore the pain shooting through our legs.

She flew faster than yesterday, so we could get back quickly and so that our legs wouldn't hurt for as long. Worry and concern radiated from her.

I gasped as we saw a large pillar of smoke where the farm had used to be. The farm had been set alight, and we had no way of knowing if Garrow was alive or dead. We landed next to the wreckage. There were no signs of life, not even a small indication that Garrow had survived.

I rushed towards the farmhouse, while Eragon argued with Saphira. He said it was her fault, that had we stayed we could have stopped this from happening. I wasn't so sure.

Suddenly, something caught my eye while I searched through the burnt rubble. _A hand_. "Eragon!" I cried. "I've found him!" I started to dig the body out as I heard Eragon rushing towards me. I managed to drag the old man from the rubble, and Eragon helped me carry him onto a plank of wood.

_Can you carry the three of us?_ Eragon asked Saphira.

_I must_, she replied, and she gently gripped the sides of the wood with her claws as we climbed on her back. She started to fly, and we could see that she was struggling. She could only get a few feet off the ground. She began panting from the effort of carrying three people. Eventually, when we were in town, Saphira couldn't carry us any longer, and she carefully laid the piece of wood on the ground and then all but collapsed.

We thanked her, and Eragon said she should go and hide before someone saw her. She left, and Eragon and I dragged Garrow into town. Suddenly we heard shouting, and we saw Brom rushing towards us, the side of his head caked in blood. I was exhausted, and when I saw Brom and the other people rushing to see what was going on, I passed out. I don't know what happened to Eragon.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**EPOV**

When I opened my eyes, everything seemed blurry. After a minute or two, everything came into focus, and I saw Gertrude, the town healer, at my side.

"Ah, you're awake," she said, "Your friend woke up a few minutes ago." Of course, since she had passed out before me.

"Is she OK?" I asked.

"She had the same injuries as you. She's just fine." Gertrude said. "And very kind, too."

"Aye," I said, "She's been like that since I met her. What about Garrow?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"His wounds are quite serious, we don't know yet if he's going to heal."

She gave me a bowl of soup, and I hungrily gulped it down. I wondered how long I had been unconscious, and I asked Gertrude.

"You've been out cold for two days," she replied. My mouth popped open, and I stared at her. She chuckled, and said, "That's how your friend reacted when I told her."

"Can I go and see her?" I asked.

"OK, but I'll come with you. I don't want you collapsing in the middle of the street." She helped me out of bed and across the road to Horst's house. We went inside and upstairs. I looked in one of the rooms on our way to Beeba's room. Katrina, the girl that Roran was in love with, was there, and she muttered condolences to me. There was Garrow on the bed, and he looked terrible. There were burns all over his body.

"Is there nothing you can do about that?" I asked Gertrude.

"Unfortunately, no. We just have to see if they'll heal on their own."

I sighed, and we walked past Garrow's room to Beeba's room. Gertrude opened the door, to show Elain standing beside Beeba's bed, chatting away to her.

"Eragon!" Beeba said happily. "You're OK?"

"Aye, I'm fine," I replied, "You?"

"I'm good," she said, smiling. _How's Saphira?_ She asked.

_I don't know,_ I replied, _I haven't contacted her yet._ I reached out with my mind, trying to find Saphira. I was worried when I couldn't find her. _I can't find her anywhere._

Beeba looked worried. She bit her lip._ Maybe she's just gone to look for something, or to get food. I mean, we've been sleeping for the past two days. Everyone gets hungry, even dragons._

_Aye, I hope you're right. _I couldn't imagine what I would do if something had happened to Saphira.

I talked to Beeba for a while, and then we both went downstairs for lunch.

Horst spoke up after a few minutes. "I know this may not be the best time, but we need to know – what happened at the farm?"

We had been dreading this. "We can't remember." I said.

"Eragon, I was one of the people who went out to your farm after what happened. Your house didn't just fall apart, it was_ torn_ apart by something." Horst said. "There were tracks around the wreck, belonging to something huge. If there's a Shade or a monster roaming around, we need to know. Only you two can tell us."

"When we left Carvahall four days ago, to go back to the farm, there were strangers in town asking about the stone Eragon had." said Beeba. She nodded at Horst. "You told us about them, and we hurried back to the farm. Nothing happened that night. The next morning, I helped Eragon with his chores, then we went for a walk in the forest. A few minutes later, we heard an explosion, and we saw smoke above the trees. We hurried back, but the people who did it were already gone. I found Garrow buried in the wreckage, and Eragon helped me dig him out."

"Then you put him on the plank and dragged him into town?" Albriech said.

"Yes," I said, "but before we left, we saw two sets of tracks on the ground, both belonging to men." I reached in my pocket, and pulled out a piece of fabric that I'd found in Garrow's hand that day. "This was clenched in his hand, I think it matches what the strangers were wearing."

"Aye, it does." Horst replied. "What of your legs?"

"That must have happened while we were digging Garrow out," Beeba said, "The warm wood must have burned and cut our legs." I nodded in agreement.

"That's horrible!" Elain exclaimed.

"We should go after them," said Albriech, "They can't be allowed to do this! We could easily catch up with them on a pair of horses by tomorrow and bring them back."

"Put that foolishness out of your head," Horst said, "they could probably pick you up like a baby and throw you in a tree. Didn't you see what they did to the house? Well, they got what they came for." He turned to me. "They did take the stone?"

"It wasn't in the house."

"Then they have no reason to return," Horst said. He looked at us curiously. "You didn't mention anything about those strange tracks. Where did they come from?"

I shrugged. "We didn't see them." Beeba nodded her head in agreement.

"Roran doesn't know, does he?" Beeba said abruptly. _How could I forget about him?_

Horst shook his head. "He and his employer, Dempton, left before you. Unless they ran into trouble on the road, they should be in Therinsford by now, and have been for several days now. We were going to send a message, but the weather's been too cold the past few days."

Albriech said, "We were about to leave when you came over."

"Go on, you two," Horst said to his sons.

"I'll break it to him gently," Baldor promised, then he followed his brother out of the kitchen.

Things were silent for a few minutes. Then, Beeba and I heard a faint call. It sounded like yelling from outside. _Let someone else deal with it_, I thought. Several minutes later, we heard it again, louder than before. Elain and Horst didn't even seem to have noticed the shouts.

_ERAGON!_ The yell was so loud, we nearly fell out of our chairs. Horst and Elain still hadn't noticed the yelling. We looked around cautiously, before realising it was in our heads.

_Saphira?_ I asked anxiously.

There was a pause. Then, _Yes, stone ears._

_Where are you?_ I asked with relief.

She sent me an image of a cluster of trees. _I tried to contact you a few times, but you were out of reach._

_I was ill, but I'm better now. So is Beeba. Why couldn't I contact you earlier?_ I asked.

_I became hungry after two nights of waiting. I went to hunt._

_Did you catch anything?_

_A young buck. He was wise enough to guard against the predators of the land, but not of the sky. When I caught him, at first he kicked and tried to escape. Eventually, though, he gave up and died. Does Garrow also fight the inevitable?_

_I don't know._ I filled her in with the basics. _It may be a long time, if ever, before we can go back home. I won't be able to see you for at least a couple of days. You might as well make yourself at home._

_OK, I will do as you say,_ she replied sadly. _Do not take too long._

We parted reluctantly. Elain told me that I could stay with them, as I would be closer to Garrow and Beeba, and Gertrude could have her bed back. When I asked her if they had room, she said, "Of course, come with me; I'll get everything ready." We followed her upstairs, Beeba leaving us to go to her room, and Elain showed me an empty room. "Do you need anything else?" she asked. When I shook my head, she said, "Call me if you need anything," and she left.

When she was down the stairs, I sneaked out of my room, and down the hall to where Garrow was.

"How is he?" I quietly asked Gertrude, who was sitting next to his bed.

"He is weak, but his fever's gone down a little, and some of the burns look a little better. We have to wait and see, but this could mean he'll recover."

That lightened my mood, and I went back to my room and fell asleep.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**BPOV**

I awoke during the night when I heard footsteps in the hall. I sneaked out of my room and followed them. I began to cry quietly when I saw what had happened. They were all standing around Garrow's bed. He had died.

I heard someone behind me, and I looked around. _Eragon._ I gently put a hand on his shoulder. He began to cry. Elain and I gently led him back to his room, Elain uttering consolations. He lay down on his bed, sobbing.

Suddenly, he looked at the sky, and said loudly, "What god would do this? Show yourself! He didn't deserve this!" Elain held him as he cried, and I put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

I was still crying myself. I'm not someone who cries, normally if I find out someone has died, at first I'm too shocked to even cry. I guess it was because I had known it was a possibility that it could happen, so I wasn't so shocked, but I was still upset.

Eventually, Eragon slipped unwillingly into sleep.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Still BPOV**

Saphira contacted us the next day and when Eragon thought, _I can't live with this, _she replied, _ Then don't._

_How can I not? Garrow is gone forever! What is the worth of anything we do?_

_The worth is in the act. The options are before you; choose one and dedicate yourself to it. The deeds will give you new hope and purpose._

_But what are my options? What can I do?_

_The only true guide is your heart. Nothing less than its supreme desire can help you._

Eragon paused, and pondered what she had said. _What do you want me to do? Pursue the strangers?_

_Yes._

We were confused by her answer. _Why? _Eragon asked slowly.

_Remember how, in the Spine, you reminded me of my duties as a dragon, and I returned with you both despite the urging of my instinct? So, too, must you control yourself. I thought long and deep the past few days, and I realised what it means to be dragon and Rider: it is our destiny to attempt the impossible, to accomplish great deeds regardless of fear. It is our responsibility to the future._

_I don't care what you say; those aren't reasons to leave!_

_Then here are others – my tracks have been seen, and people are alert to my presence. Eventually, I will be exposed. Besides, there is nothing here for you anymore. No home, no family, and -_

_Roran's not dead! _he said irritably.

_But if you stay, you'll have to explain what really happened. He has a right to know how and why his father died. What might he do once he finds out about me?_

Again, Eragon pondered what she had said. We both knew she had a good argument, but I also knew Eragon didn't want to leave Carvahall, having lived here his whole life. _Am I strong enough for this? _he thought.

_You have Saphira,_ I replied.

Once again, he thought about it. I could feel the doubt in his mind, but he turned to me and nodded. _I'll do it. _He severed the contact between the three of us, and we both sneaked out of our rooms. The more he thought about it, the more sure he was. _Nothing is more dangerous than an enemy with nothing to lose. Which is what I have become._

As we crept out of the house, we heard Horst and Elain talking quietly to each other. We stopped and listened. "...a place to stay. We have enough room." Horst murmured something inaudible, and Elain replied, "Yes, the poor boy."

There was a pause, then Horst said, "I've been thinking. I'm not sure Eragon and his friend were entirely truthful."

"What do you mean?"

"What about their legs? When the girl spoke about it, she said, 'That must have happened while we were digging Garrow out', as if he hadn't noticed it before. Who doesn't notice losing so much skin? And when we were walking to the farm, we saw that the ground was smooth, from the board they put Garrow on, but further up the road, the snow was all churned up. We also saw the same footprints from the farm. I didn't want to push them for answers before, but now I think I will."

"Maybe what they saw scared them so much that they don't want to talk about it, you saw how distraught they were."

"That still doesn't explain how they manage to drag Garrow nearly all the way here without leaving any tracks."

_Saphira's right,_ Eragon said, _it's time we left. Too many questions from too many people. Sooner or later they'll find out the answers. _We continued through the house, and crept out the door.

We walked towards a tree, where Eragon had quickly hidden hides from the farm, to make a saddle for Saphira. He reached, and pulled out...nothing.

"Looking for these?"

***Gasp* Who has taken the hides? Will the person join Eragon, Beeba and Saphira on their quest to kill the strangers?**

**Longest chapter...so far!**

**Once again, just so people don't nip my head about it, I do not own the Inheritance Cycle. I know I've used direct quotes from the book, but that was because I couldn't think of how to change it and make it original. I don't own any quotes from the book. They all belong to CP. I'm not trying to pass anything off as my own.**


End file.
